Let’s Get Cookin’: Cheesy Smoked Paprika Roasted Cauliflower

Like WOAH. How did it get to be the day before Thanksgiving already?? I feel like September blurred into October and then November before I even realized what was going on. Am I the only one who watched the last two months flash before their eyes? Please tell me I’m not.

Maybe we can all agree to just jump back to November 1st and play this month out again, yeah?

I’m SO-SUPER-EXCITED for all the holiday recipes I have ready to share with you guys as soon as December hits, and it’s getting hard for me to stay patient and keep all that under wraps until after Thanksgiving. In the meantime, I’ve been trying to stay focused on all things apples and pears and cozy fall spices, with a little something random thrown in here and there.  Then I remembered that I’ve had this recipe ready to go for a while now, and it could just be a fun addition to your Thanksgiving spread if you haven’t gotten all that stuff figured out by now. If you’re the well-organized, plan-ahead person I sometimes wish I could be and you do know what you’re serving down to the smallest details, it’s totally okay and this post is still for you, because really it’s an all-year-round kind of recipe.

After I started roasting brussels sprouts (if you haven’t tried it, you need to do this nownownow), I realized that roasted vegetables are pretty much ALWAYS the way to go. It’s super easy and low-maintenance, and your oven does all the work to turn those crunchy veggies into hot, tender, golden-brown, flavor-packed, healthy goodness. In this case, smoked paprika amps up the cauliflower vibe big time, along with some sharp cheddar cheese and fresh parsley for added zing and extra color. It’s one of those secret-weapon, make-veggies-taste-awesome kind of recipes that you need in your arsenal. Make it happen!

On a semi-related note, I’ll be having a somewhat untraditional Thanksgiving this year that may or may not involve any of the classic components (it’s all really up in the air right now), so I’m dying to know what kinds of dishes you guys will be making and feasting on for the big day! I’m thinking maybe I can live vicariously through you with stories of buttery mashed potatoes and flaky homemade pie. :) Please share!!

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Cheesy Smoked Paprika Roasted Cauliflower

A simple, flavor-packed recipe for cauliflower roasted to golden-brown perfection with hot smoked paprika. A little bit of sharp cheese and some fresh parsley tossed in at the end brighten up this tasty dish.

• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 ounce (1/4 cup) shredded sharp cheese (I used aged cheddar)*
• 1/4 ounce (1/4 cup) chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rinse cauliflower and cut into approx. 1″ florets. Place in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, paprika, and salt. Drizzle over the cauliflower in two parts, tossing in until all of the cauliflower is coated by the mixture (be sure to get all of the spices mixed in!).
4. Spread cauliflower out in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and bake in oven on middle rack for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with minced garlic and bake another 15-20 minutes on second-highest baking rack, tossing every 5 minutes or so, until cauliflower is fork-tender and turning golden-brown in spots.
5. Transfer cauliflower to serving dish and immediately toss with cheese. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

*Feel free to load this up with more cheese, or skip the cheese entirely, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home December-January 2013 Holiday Issue

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